


#TATINOF

by howelllesters



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Fluff, Food/Drink Mentions, M/M, Mild Language, The Amazing Tour Is Not on Fire, platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 10:24:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10554758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howelllesters/pseuds/howelllesters
Summary: Moments from being on the road, as told by Dan and Phil’s Instagram captions.





	

_about to go on stage at playlistlive for our first usa tatinof show! the adventure begins._

“Are you ready?”

“No,” Phil laughs, nerves and excitement adding a tremble to his answer. “When am I ever?”

“You’ll be great,” Dan whispers, grinning at him and giving him a silly thumbs up that at least makes Phil smile. “Promise. Besides, we already did this once. It’s just the same.”

“But bigger,” Phil corrects him.

“But bigger,” Dan concedes. “Which makes it more fun.”

The song playing to the audience switches and an overwhelming mass of screams sounds from out on the stage. Phil turns to Dan with wide eyes, but Dan just shakes his head and gives Phil a smile.

“They’re _excited_ , Phil. They want to see us. The show is great, we sound great, we look great- wait, hang on. Come here,” Dan says suddenly, sizing Phil up and noticing the smudge on his forehead. “Oh my god, you have a giant black mark under your fringe, what did you do? Jesus Christ, Phil, okay, help me out.”

Dan holds his finger out for Phil to lick, and then he’s frantically scrubbing at Phil’s skin, probably destroying his foundation. He’s holding his perfectly styled fringe out of the way to try and keep it looking okay, and Phil just snickers, which is his undoing.

This is a really unhelpful time for Phil to get the giggles, but here he is, two minutes until the show starts and his cheeks have gone red, tears gathering in his eyes. The situation isn’t even that funny, but the combination of his own idiocy, Dan’s exasperation, and his heightened emotions sets him off. And that sets Dan off. And all of the crew are glaring at their two stars, doubled over, bursting into a fresh set of laughter every time they make eye contact.

“Thank you,” Phil finally says, wiping a tear from his eye and standing up.

“Always,” Dan says softly, and then they pull each other in for their customary pre-show hug.

“I love doing this with you,” Phil says quietly, squeezing him a little tighter.

“Same here,” Dan replies, and then the music is fading out and the lights are dipping, and it’s showtime.

—

_we’ve completed our white girl pilgrimage to the first ever starbucks in seattle_

“Cheers,” Dan says, and Phil rolls his eyes, but obligingly nudges his plastic cup against his friend’s.

“Cheers to what, exactly?” Phil asks after taking a sip of his iced coffee, eyebrows raising in approval as he realises it isn’t as bad as he was expecting.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Dan drawls, fixing Phil with _the look_. “Maybe our sold-out tour? Maybe how well everything is going? Maybe the fact we’re at the first _ever_ Starbucks?”

“You’re not going to get soppy on me, are you?” Phil teases, but Dan just glares at him over the top of his straw.

“Fuck you, then. I retract my cheers.”

“I don’t think you can do that, you idiot.”

They wander round for a few moments in silence, sipping at their coffees and marvelling at just how many people are milling about. It’s a sunny day admittedly, but it’s still busier than they expected, so they’re searching for a shady spot to settle in for a moment.

Dan had insisted on taking a photo in front of the store, so Phil can put that nightmare behind him.

“Let me try yours?” Dan asks, already holding his own cup out to Phil to swap.

“I don’t think you’ll like it,’ Phil says, but hands it over anyway.

They take a sip from each other’s at the same time, and while Dan grimaces and Phil fixes him with a ‘told you so’ look, Phil takes another sip and nods his head.

“No, don’t drink it all,” Dan glares, snatching his cup back out of his friend’s hands and shoving his own back at him.

“Sorry, I forgot I was getting coffee with a five year old,” Phil sighs, accepting his own coffee back and relinquishing Dan’s tasty drink.

“Shut up,” Dan grumbles, nudging Phil and laughing when his straw misses his mouth and bops him on the nose, leaving a little froth there.

“Now you shut up,” Phil huffs, but there’s no real intent there, and he’s hiding his own smile behind the hand he’s using to brush it off.

“How about there?” Dan asks suddenly, motioning to a low wall under cover of a tree.

Phil nods his approval and they wander over, plopping down so their legs touch in a comforting way. They automatically drop the backpacks one on top of the other so Phil can stretch his feet out over them, and Dan leans back to rest on one hand, curling his finger through one of Phil’s belt loops. He’s not sure why he does it, but he likes it, so he does.

“I still prefer our order back home by the way,” Phil murmurs, after ten minutes or so of comfortable silence spent people-watching.

“Well obviously,” Dan laughs, and then they lapse back into the quiet.

—

_can you find all the dan and phils in the chicago bean?_

“We have to get a photo!”

“We’ve stopped for a photo every five minutes, Phil, come on,” Dan whines, even while pulling out his phone.

“Okay but look how cool this thing is,” Phil insists.

“You said that about the last thing. It was a tree, Phil. _A tree_.”

“I can admit that the tree may have seemed more exciting to me than most,” Phil says begrudgingly, as Dan fixes him with a look. “But this really is cool! Look at it! It’s a giant mirrored bean, come _on_.”

“Fine, fine,” Dan huffs, shuffling up to his friend more out of habit at this point. He’s lost track of how many photos they’ve posed for over the years, how many images he has stored on his laptop that show various outtakes of the same shot, usually mucked up by one of them laughing hysterically. “On one condition.”

“What’s that?” Phil asks cautiously. Once upon a time he would have agreed without hesitation, but he’s known Dan for too long to trust him that easily now.

“We go get some food after this,” Dan grumbles.

His stomach has been growling for a good half hour now, and soon enough, they’ll have to get back to the bus and head off for the next stop. As much as he enjoys the time he and Phil get to spend together just the two of them - after all, that’s how it normally is, and being surrounded by so many people all of the time is still something he’s adjusting to - food is still a priority.

“Deal,” Phil says, excitedly getting into place.

After Dan’s camera roll is filled with approximately thirty seven shots of them, Phil agrees that they’ve captured ‘the one’, and they wander off in search of food, happening upon a hot dog vendor not so far away.

“This is so American,” Phil chuckles as they finish off their hot dogs, Dan heaping onions on to them both while Phil works around him to artfully drizzle ketchup across the tops.

“You sound like such a tourist,” Dan laughs, handing Phil’s hot dog over to him, along with a tissue, because he’s known Phil for too long to trust him with such messy food.

“We are tourists!” Phil says excitedly, exchanging his hotdog for the wallet they keep in the backpack Dan’s got responsibility for today.

Later that afternoon they get an ice cream to share, and Dan’s just about to go in for the last visible choc chip when Phil dives in and licks it up.

“I’ve never hated anyone more than I do you,” Dan grumbles, as Phil just grins at him, a blob of mint choc chip on his nose.

—

_we didn’t want to get wet_

“Holy shit,” Dan utters, as Phil whistles.

They’ve just arrived at the theme park they’re spending today at, and the place is heaving. The queue just to get in already looks a mile long, so they dread to think what the ride queues are like.

“We have priority!” one of the crew members calls out from the back of their little huddle, and they all cheer, making a detour to the fast track entrance and breathing a sigh of relief at the considerably shorter line of people.

This is one of Phil’s favourite parts about tour. Of course, _of course_ , he adores going up on stage every night with his best friend, performing to the people who have been watching his videos for all these years, but the days off, the days off just seem like a holiday with his favourite people in the world, and it’s the best feeling.

As Phil looks around at their crew, the people who all agreed to come and be a part of this crazy, travelling mess, he feels lucky, and happy, and home, even when he’s four thousand miles away. He glances at Dan, who is cracking a joke with someone, who senses Phil’s eyes on him and looks up and gives him a reassuring smile, and Phil thinks that maybe he could be anywhere and he’d be home if he had Dan with him.

There is something about his best friend’s presence that keeps him feeling secure and grounded at all times. He doesn’t know if it’s Dan himself - probably not, the boy irritates him to no end, he thinks wryly - or just the knowledge that the person Phil holds of most importance in the world feels just the same about him.

“We’re going on the log flume right?” someone asks, and Phil zones back into reality, handing his ticket over to get scanned while nodding in the general direction of whoever proposed the ride.

“I’ll get wet,” Dan moans, and looks down at his highly inappropriate choice of clothing.

“Just pull this thing up over your head,” another crew member cracks, tugging at the neckline of Dan’s top, but Dan just glares at him. Later he will end up taking that advice, but for now, a glare is what is needed.

As Phil steps away from the ticket barrier, he looks around the theme park before them with wide eyes, overwhelmed, as ever, by just how _big_ everything is in America. He can already hear the screams and cheers of people enjoying the rides, and feels the familiar thrill in his stomach at the thought of being on one very soon.

Without even thinking, Phil slides his hand into Dan’s, who squeezes it gently, and then they set off in a random direction, figuring they’ll hop on whatever they come across first.

“What is this, a buddy system?” someone chuckles from behind them.

“Have you ever been to a busy place with Phil?” Dan laughs in return, before sending a wink at Phil. “Trust me, if we don’t want to spend the next week looking for him, this is for the best.”

—

_at the end of our tatinof show in clearwater tonight the entire audience stood up holding these signs!!!_

“This was so cute,” Dan grins, holding up one of the paper signs someone rescued for them from the show.

“I know,” Phil sighs happily, a huge smile spreading across his face as he is reminded once again of how lucky they are.

“Tired after today though,” Dan yawns, and burrows further under the duvet.

They are lying next to one another in Phil’s bed, covers pulled up to their chests, and a mountain of pillows behind them. Phil’s arm is thrown carelessly behind Dan’s head, and Dan is inching ever closer to just rolling over and resting his head on Phil’s shoulder. It’s something he does all the time, but Phil usually just nudges him off with a groan, so Dan’s waiting until he can do it on the sly. Phil’s shoulder is too comfortable not to at least try.

“You do know it’s a reference to Phil Is Not On Fire 1, right?” Phil says, looking at the sheet again.

“Wait, what?” Dan blinks, waking up again.

“You’re such an idiot, oh my god,” Phil laughs, nudging Dan in the ribs with his elbow and making his friend squirm.

“I just thought they were all having fun, and assumed we would be too,” Dan says sheepishly, and Phil rolls his eyes.

“You’re useless, Howell. Go on, choose a film and prove you’re not all bad.”

Phil lies back and smirks as Dan puts on a show of choosing a film for them. This has become a habit they never intended to pick up, but neither of them mind. After the buzz of doing a show, they need to unwind somehow, because the adrenaline racing through them doesn’t settle for a good hour or so. Of course, cocktails are the preferred method of relaxing, but that isn’t always an option, so a movie in bed together comes a close second.

“Budge up,” Dan says, slotting the film into his disc drive and clambering back into the bed.

“What did you choose?” Phil asks as he moves aside for Dan.

“It’s a surprise,” Dan grins, and takes advantage of Phil craning his neck to look for the case to sneakily settle into Phil’s arms.

The best part about children’s films is that they are short, which is definitely what is needed, because once the hype wears off, Dan and Phil deflate rapidly.

“I should go to bed,” Dan says sleepily as the credits begin to roll, reluctantly getting out of the warm bed.

“Mmm, g’night,” Phil smiles at him through half-lidded eyes.

“Out of curiosity…”

“Hmm?”

“Is this the most fun you’ve ever had?” Dan asks, cocking his head.

“Yeah, of course it is,” Phil laughs softly, shaking his head at his friend. “Don’t think it could get any better.”

—

_dapgo is out now! so proud to see it released into the wild_

“A book.”

“A book.”

“A second book, actually.”

“ _A second book._ ”

“Can’t believe you’ve been given two publishing deals without even getting a degree.”

“Shut up,” Dan laughs, nudging Phil’s cheek with his big toe, at which Phil grimaces and shoves his leg away.

It’s growing dark outside, and the autumn nights have been particularly chilly this year, so the heating is on full blast and Phil’s dragged blankets from every corner of the house into the living room. They are a tangle of limbs, hair and fluff on the sofa, but with Phil cross-legged at one end and Dan resting his head on the other, legs stretched across Phil, they are comfortable.

“Pass me my drink?” Phil asks, and Dan extends an arm to the nearest table where Phil’s mug was perched precariously on the very edge of a coaster.

Silently he reaches out to give it to him, taking the phone handed over to him as Phil grasps the mug, because too many spillages later, they’ve learned that Phil needs to hold drinks with both hands until he’s steady.

Phil’s glasses slip down his nose a little as he reaches for the drink, and Dan snickers, earning himself a glare from over the frames as Dan waits for him to adjust. Once he’s ready, Phil flexes his fingers, and Dan hands the phone back, rolling his eyes. He was not Phil’s servant, but the man refused to listen.

“You know when this is all over?” Dan says after a few moments of silence, knowing they’ve both been reflecting on everything all evening.

“Mmm?” Phil asks, a little hesitant, almost concerned, wondering what Dan is about to voice.

Because what was it going to be like when it was all over? They had a few final tour dates left, and then they were done. They were going to close the longest chapter of their lives so far, and it had had so many ups, and its fair share of downs, and they’d all but forgotten what it was like to live in a universe where the book and the tour and everything that went with them did not exist.

Just being Dan and Phil again. That was going to be strange, but not unwelcome, Phil thinks.

“What is it?” Phil presses gently when Dan doesn’t answer, cocking his head at his best friend as Dan wears the pensive expression Phil knows all too well.

He worries as to why Dan doesn’t share his thoughts immediately. Does he want space? Phil wouldn’t blame him, but then they’d lived in each other’s pockets for years and years already, they’d just showcased it a little more obviously this time. Does he want to do something else entirely? Phil thinks he’d be okay with just about anything as long as he had his best friend next to him, someone who knew he needed to hold mugs with both hands, someone who could tell Phil where he’d left his glasses when he couldn’t remember, someone who kept an eye on Phil’s shoelaces for him ready for their inevitable undoing.

Yes, Phil could be okay with anything as long as he had Dan.

“I was just thinking,” Dan says softly.

“Go on,” Phil prompts, almost impatient.

Dan’s fatal flaw, one he had not realised, was that he had wrapped himself up in a blanket in just the right way for Phil to pull it firmly with one hand, and send Dan rolling straight off the sofa and onto the cold, hard floor. Which, ultimately, was fully deserved.

“It’s been _ages_ since we had a Twilight marathon.”

**Author's Note:**

> Written for tinybeanlester (the tiniest, cutest bean of them all and one of my all time favourite blogs okay.) as part of the phanfic exchange (plus the extra part I promised); this took far too long to post, and I’m so sorry for that, but I noticed you could do with a smile, and I hope this helps? :)


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